Child Welfare
Child Welfare Officer News
I have been continuing my training and getting up to speed with the many issues and processes I need to learn and develop the role of Child Welfare Officer.

In the summer I did a training session in Stowmarket, which was to look at the various scenarios and issues that could affect a swimming club and its members. This training session is a pre-requisite for attending the “Time to Listen” workshop that I completed in Hemel Hempstead two weeks ago. This workshop focused more on how to deal with issues around child welfare and where to go for advice and help. It was very interesting to work through different situations and find outcome to an issue.
It also started me thinking about how we need to integrate our processes into the Swim 21 accreditation which we are presently working towards.

A meeting with Neil Pottrill and Jan Bright is being planned, to put together all these issues and move the Club forward to the next stage of swim 21. A general training session for committee members will also be held when I can give feedback on the workshops and how we integrate child welfare issues into
Swim 21.

we had our first committee discussion last month and are working on the practical ways of creating an aware culture within the club that will continue to promote safeguarding children.
… so keep watching this space.

Arlene Mclean
Child Welfare Officer

Wave Power
Wave Power is the Amateur Swimming Associations child protection programme. Two copies are available at the club. One is held by the Child Welfare Officer (Arlene Mclean) and the other is held by the Secretary.

It gives guidelines to follow not only in cases of child abuse but in cases of special needs. It contains referral forms and how to go about any investigation that may arise. It gives a detailed description of the CWO role and responsibilities as well as that of the Child Protection Officer for the ASA and County Welfare Officer. It gives guidelines for prevention including CRB checks, publicity, including posters about Swimline and County Welfare Officer name so everyone knows who to go to if there is a problem.

It emphasises the importance of not dealing one to one with a child except in an unavoidable emergency. It also gives guidelines for photographs, phones and websites. It has an anti-bullying policy and states the ASA Code of Ethics.

Swimline 0808 100 4001
The Amateur Swimming Association is committed to promoting the welfare of children in our sport. They have joined with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children to create SwimLine.

The service is provided for anyone involved in swimming, including children and young people who believe that the welfare of a young child is at risk. This could be neglect or abuse, bullying or fear of someone, or anything that is worrying you and you don't know who to discuss it with.